Net Neutrality

News about Net Neutrality, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Feb. 27, 2015

Federal Communications Commission votes 3-2 along party lines to regulate broadband Internet service as public utility; net neutrality rules are meant to ensure that no content is blocked and that Internet is not split into pay-to-play fast lanes for companies and slow lanes for others. MORE

Feb. 27, 2015

Netherlands, which mandated two years ago that Internet providers treat all traffic equally, offers case study of what could be in store for American consumers and companies; net neutrality rules have brought about few consumer complaints over costs, with consumer groups saying that cellphone and cable packages have remained fairly stable. MORE

Feb. 26, 2015

News Analysis; utility-style rules that Federal Communications Commission is expected to adopt to ensure net neutrality are best fit for current situation in United States, where most households only have one choice for high-speed Internet service; rules are intended to prevent broadband providers from abusing their market power. MORE

Feb. 25, 2015

Senior Republicans in Congress concede victory to Pres Obama over regulation of Internet service, with Federal Communications Commission expected to approve regulating it like public utility; regulation will prohibit companies from paying for faster lanes on Internet, upholding net neutrality. MORE

Feb. 20, 2015

Congress wants to permanently ban taxes on high-speed Internet service. But will the F.C.C.’s plan for utility-style regulation open a door to new charges? MORE

Feb. 7, 2015

Joe Nocera Op-Ed column asserts that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler is right to reintroduce proposal to reclassify broadband Internet as telecommunication service, idea shot down in 2010; holds that government regulation is necessary in order to maintain net neutrality, and that reclassification is necessary for proper oversight. MORE

Feb. 6, 2015

White House unveils several initiatives to bolster data-privacy laws, including bid to examine discriminatory pricing on the Internet; push will also include Republican-sponsored bill to protect data collected from students' educational apps. MORE

Feb. 6, 2015

Editorial supports Federal Communications Commission decision to reclassify broadband Internet service as telecommunications service, opening way for regulations that ensure fair access to Internet; says move is necessary given growing importance of Internet access to individuals and businesses; rejects industry and Republican arguments that rules will stifle investment and argues that they may instead help innovation flourish. MORE

Feb. 5, 2015

Federal Communications Commission chairman Tom Wheeler unveils proposal for treating Internet service as public utility, form of regulation that Wheeler describes as best path to net neutrality; proposal includes provision for protection of consumer privacy and ensuring access for all; plan is far bolder and more comprehensive than analysts had expected. MORE

Feb. 3, 2015

Federal Communications Commission chairman Tom Wheeler is expected to propose regulating Internet service as telecommunications service, instead of an information service; move to treat service like public utility will almost certainly spark new debate and lobbying about how to guarantee so-called net neutrality. MORE

Jan. 22, 2015

Hearings in Senate and House examine Republican proposal for so-called net neutrality rules that would regulate Internet instead of regulations that are set to be proposed by Federal Communications Commission in February. MORE

Jan. 20, 2015

Politics surrounding issue of net neutrality have shifted, with Republicans putting themselves on the side of cable giants; both House and Senate Republicans are assembling legislation ahead of February Federal Communication Commission meeting, hoping to block agency from issuing regulations that would achieve Obama administration's net neutrality goals. MORE

Jan. 18, 2015

Jeff Sommer Strategies column observes that stock market has defied collective wisdom in its reaction to impending tighter regulations on net neutrality for Internet carriers, with share prices of big cable companies continuing to rise; notes that the market itself seems unsure about impact of Federal Communications Commission's proposed rules for Internet carriers, which will be issued in February. MORE

Jan. 9, 2015

Editorial supports Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler's endorsement of proposal by Pres Obama that would reclassify broadband service as telecommunications service; holds that reclassification is important to Internet fairness, as it would stop big companies from establishing fast and slow lanes on Web; urges Wheeler to maintain his position and not to bow to industry or Republican pressure. MORE

Jan. 3, 2015

Federal Communications Commission says its five members are expected to consider proposal from Chairman Tom Wheeler on net neutrality rules in February. MORE

Dec. 9, 2014

Editorial opposes German Chancellor Angela Merkel's proposal that would allow telecommunications companies to divide Internet access into two tiers; holds action will water down European Parliament's strong position on net neutrality; calls on Europe to reject proposal despite urge to protect the interests of domestic industries. MORE

Dec. 8, 2014

NAACP, National Urban League and Rainbow/PUSH Coalition say Pres Obama's push to regulate Internet access will hurt minority communities, but other civil rights groups back treating Internet access as an essential service; debate is part of major campaign to lobby Federal Communications Commission as it considers net neutrality. MORE

Nov. 16, 2014

Jeff Sommer Strategies column observes that revived debate over net neutrality has jostled share price of Cogent Communications, company that manages many fiber pipes and digital interconnections that make up basic plumbing of the Internet. MORE

Nov. 15, 2014

Editorial contends Pres Obama's proposal to reclassify broadband Internet service as telecommunications service corrects classification error made by Federal Communications Commission in 2002; holds many assumptions held by FCC have proven false, and argues new proposal envisions Internet where service providers handle all content sent and received by consumers equally; urges FCC to heed Obama's request. MORE

Nov. 15, 2014

Joe Nocera Op-Ed column laments difficulty government is facing in achieving deal on net neutrality, despite fact that most consumers, Internet companies and service providers support it; submits root of issue lies in debate over what parts of 1996 Telecommunications Act should be used to regulate Internet providers; suggests that allowing Federal Communications Commission to write new rules may be best option. MORE

Nov. 14, 2014

Pres Obama, in wake of Republicans capturing Senate and increasing control over House in midterm elections, has nevertheless pressed ahead on immigration enforcement, climate change and Internet neutrality; he is showing that he still aspires to enact sweeping policies that could help define his legacy. MORE

Nov. 13, 2014

Farhad Manjoo State of the Art column notes that Silicon Valley's giant companies have been relatively quiet on question of whether government should protect an open Internet, which they previously argued is vital to innovation; observes that muted response from giants in the industry to Pres Obama's support for strict rules for broadband carriers makes sense because issue primarily affects smallest Internet companies. MORE

Nov. 13, 2014

Challenge facing Tom Wheeler, chairman of Federal Communications Commission, to shape rules for open Internet only grew after Pres Obama spoke out on issue; people who have met with Wheeler since those comments say he has been defensive and angry that he might be seen as political pawn instead of head of an independent agency. MORE

Nov. 12, 2014

Eduardo Porter Economic Scene column observes after Pres Obama urged Federal Communications Commission to set tougher net neutrality rules, questions loom about decreased competition and cost of monitoring; contends that in absence of more broadband competition, monitoring is needed by regulators, but it should be performed at least possible cost. MORE

Nov. 12, 2014

Pres Obama's call for net neutrality sets up fight over Federal Communications Commission rules; everyone agrees that some rules written to regulate telephone service should not apply to the Internet but there are disagreements about what rules should survive. MORE

Nov. 11, 2014

Pres Obama, in his most direct effort yet to influence debate about Internet's future, says free and open Internet is as critical to Americans' lives as electricity and telephone service; says Federal Communications Commission needs to adopt strictest rules possible to prevent broadband companies from blocking or intentionally slowing down legal content and from allowing content providers to pay for fast lane to reach customers. MORE

Nov. 11, 2014

The Upshot; Pres Obama is formally supporting so-called net neutrality, bringing long-simmering battle to front of public debate; points out he believes Internet access is more like access to electricity than to cable TV. MORE

Nov. 9, 2014

Editorial contends problems facing Federal Communications Commission over how to regulate Internet are result of its classifying cable and phone-based broadband as information services, rather than telecommunications services; expresses support for hybrid approach that would regulate high-speed Internet service in two parts, but warns that such an approach could be promising only if done right. MORE

Nov. 1, 2014

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler and staff are moving toward proposal that would give agency regulatory authority over how Internet traffic flows between content providers and Internet service companies; proposal is part of hybrid solution that has gained favor at FCC over last two months. MORE

Oct. 11, 2014

Pres Obama says he is 'unequivocally committed' to net neutrality and is firmly opposed to any proposal that would let companies buy Internet fast lane to deliver their content more quickly to consumers. MORE

Sep. 29, 2014

Policy most likely to define Tom Wheeler's time as chairman of Federal Communications Commission is net neutrality, which has generated more public interest than any other issue; Wheeler has established record as formidable opponent of industries he used to represent as lobbyist. MORE

Aug. 14, 2014

Editorial supports Pres Obama's opposition to deals between telecommunication companies and firms like Netflix and Amazon that would allow for faster delivery of video and other data to customers; agrees with Obama's assertion that such deals could stifle business and free communication; suggests FCC reclassify broadband Internet service as a telecommunications service, which would prevent big companies from engaging in unjust or unreasonable discrimination against content. MORE

Jul. 16, 2014

Federal Communications Commission receives about 780,000 comments on its rules to secure open Internet; sampling of comments posted on commission's website is heavily weighted toward urging it to take strong action to preserve net neutrality. MORE

Jun. 14, 2014

Federal Communications Commission opens investigation into deal where entertainment companies like Netflix have agreed to pay Internet service providers like Comcast and Verizon for faster video delivery; critics contend practice will divide Internet into fast and slow lanes. MORE

May. 16, 2014

Editorial analyzes new plan put forward by Federal Communications Commission after weeks of criticism over agency's previous proposal for dividing the Internet; notes that plan still seems to be leaning toward creating two-tiered system that could discriminate against smaller companies and restrict consumer choice; urges commission to take its time finessing plan, saying rules are too important to rush through. MORE

May. 16, 2014

Federal Communications Commission votes, 3-2, to open for public debate new rules meant to guarantee an open Internet; Tom Wheeler, commission chairman, will need to convince his colleagues and array of powerful lobbying groups that plan follows principle of net neutrality before it becomes final. MORE

May. 12, 2014

David Carr the Media Equation column holds Federal Communications Commission's proposal to allow broadband providers to charge extra to content providers could be defeated due to pushback from tech companies and Internet users; says the public has an expectation that the Internet will work like other utilities, and previous efforts by the government to insert itself between the Internet and users have failed. MORE

May. 11, 2014

Prof Tim Wu, who developed concept of 'net neutrality,' is among influential voices arguing for a free and open internet as Federal Communications Commissions weighs the issue; key question will be whether cable and telephone companies will be allowed to discriminate against certain types of content, or certain content providers. MORE

May. 1, 2014

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler says lack of competition in cable and broadband industry has hurt consumers; also says FCC intends to fix the problem by writing new rules to enforce so-called net neutrality. MORE

Apr. 25, 2014

Lobbying efforts intensify as Federal Communications Commission says it will try for third time to write new net neutrality rules to secure an open Internet; FCC will release rules allowing for creation of special, faster lanes for online content; at least 69 companies, interest groups and trade associations have lobbied commission officials. MORE

Apr. 25, 2014

Editorial criticizes Federal Communications Commission's proposed regulations that would allow broadband providers to charge fees for faster delivery of video and other data to consumers; contends new approach to Internet service would harm smaller content providers and start-ups and would destroy the principle of Internet equality. MORE

Apr. 24, 2014

Federal Communications Commission will propose new rules that allow companies like Disney, Google or Netflix to pay Internet service providers like Comcast and Verizon for special, faster lanes to stream their content to customers; proposed changes would affect what is known as net neutrality--idea that no providers of legal Internet content should face discrimination in providing offerings to consumers, and that users should have equal access to see any legal content they choose. MORE

Apr. 4, 2014

European lawmakers approve new rules aimed at guaranteeing equal access to the Internet and cutting cellphone charges across the 28-member European Union; legislation, which aims to create a single market for electronic communications across the bloc, still faces Parliamentary approval before it can become law. MORE

Mar. 31, 2014

European Union's 28 member countries plan to vote on digital policy legislation regarding online habits of 500 million consumers; crucial part of legislation is so-called net neutrality, rules meant to ensure equitable access to Internet for services like streaming music, on-demand television and cloud computing; key questions are who pays for services, and how much. MORE

Mar. 21, 2014

Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings acknowledges that once company agreed to pay Comcast for a better connection, its customers no longer experienced delays streaming video; admission reverses his assertion that deal had nothing to do with net neutrality. MORE

Mar. 19, 2014

Panel of lawmakers in European Parliament vote for tougher measures to promote equal access to the Internet and to lower rates for cellphone use across European Union, but many lawmakers, consumers and industry groups criticize draft legislation and want changes. MORE

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